This is an issue that I think should be more talked about these days. Because I personally think it's getting out of hand and something needs to be done.

Here's my thing. I have no problem with service dogs. If you have a legit reason to have one, have one. If you're blind, have PDST, autism, diabetes, whatever. As long as you have a legit reason and medical proof to have one. Though, at first I was fine with seeing eye dogs. Because it makes sense to have them. Dogs are more protective and have more eye and nose senses to protect the one who doesn't have one.

Then, when I heard about service dogs for other things like PTSD, autism, and diabetes. I wasn't fully on board. Not because I don't think people should have them. Even though I really don't think there's a need, but hey. I'm not a doctor. Can't argue with any medical expert on these things. But, mainly because I can see there will be people who will take advantage of that. Like, they can just show up to any museum, airport, theme park, or any other indoor/outdoor public facility and just say their dog is a service dog, they can let them in. And it has happened.

When I volunteered for a museum as a docent, I saw one woman carrying a tiny lapdog in her arms inside. Knowing the rules, I came up to her and told her dogs aren't allowed inside the museum. She calmly said don't worry, he's a service dog. My first thought would be training because there are people who do train service dogs by taking them everywhere they go. So, I asked if the dog was in training. Simple innocent question. But, she yelled to me NO!! and I walked away. Couple days later, a family came in with a dog and told the front desk that he's a service dog. No papers or anything. Then, we caught the dog running around chasing squirrels, marking trees, and barking at anything. The dog was obviously not a service dog. So, the volunteers asked the higher ups to make a rule saying we should ask some proof or documentation if the dog is a service dog to prevent what happened.

Glad they also include that in the Equal Rights Amendment. The rule states that you are allowed to ask if the dog is a service dog and ask for documentation if the dog isn't wearing something that says it is. If you run a public place.

Then, I heard this thing called Emotional Support Animals. Which from what I can see is a loophole for service dogs. It's a term used by people who want to take their animals with them everywhere they go even on planes. Since service dogs are allowed to be on planes, but not in cages. So, someone created a site where people can get on, order a card or collar that says your pet is an emotional support animal, no doctoral approval whatsoever, and just pay $35 for it. And just like that, no one cannot question it. I even heard some had took a tortoise, a hare, and even a parrot on the plane with them and all of them are ESAs.

I've just lost it right there. They're abusing the system and pretty much now giving actual service dogs a bad name. Hell, this happened a few times with me when I worked for the NPS at a battlefield when people use the Emotional Support Animal cards at us to allow them to go inside with their pets. One group came in with three dogs. All with leashes. They showed me the card that says "Emotional Support Animal" that looks like an almost legit card. I look at them "Really?", knowing full well that it's a shame. But, I played along and allow them in. Knowing full well that if I said no, they would've made it a huge deal and claim I was being discriminatory towards ESAs. Throughout their visit in the visitor center. I kept a close eye on them to make sure their dogs won't bite anybody or do any damage because if they do. I have the right to kick them out.

It just makes me upset knowing that there are people out there who are willing to abuse the system because they want to take their pets everywhere they go. And they want to use the ESA document to legally take their pet to many places without anyone telling them they can't. I can understand of not wanting to leave your pet alone in the house or putting them in a kennel or hire a petsitter because of various reasons, but there's no excuse to abuse a perfectly reasonable system to make people feel better and become fully functional citizens. It just amazes me of how low people can go.